Skin cancer has been on the rise at an astonishing rate in the United States of America over the past 5 decades.

Specifically, these statistics relate to nonmelanoma skin cancers such as Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma among other less common skin cancers. Melanoma skin cancers are not a part of these statistics as they are a reportable condition. For all skin cancers that don’t get reported, estimates have been made based on billing records in most studies.

Because it is more difficult to estimate the total number of US nonmelanoma skin cancers, studies are done less frequently. We’ve compiled the last four major studies based on a scientific journal search on pubmed.gov.

The first publication evaluated skin cancer rates in 1978.

“Currently between 400,000 and 500,000 individuals develop new basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas of the skin each year in the United States.” (1978)